In Sickness and In Hell
by eblonde
Summary: What should have been a simple stomach bug, turns out to be something much more serious... Kurt has to face the possibility of losing Jane, for the third time in a matter of months.
1. Chapter 1

**Here's my next multi chapter fic. I'm really putting poor Jane through the wringer at the moment aren't I? I'm so mean…**

**Anyway thank you so much to lurkingwhump for listening to me drone on about this fic. I truly wouldn't be able to get anything done if it wasn't for you x**

**Just going to put a bit of a TW in with this. This is for my badthinghappenbingo prompt "stomach flu" so if you're squeamish don't read ahead.**

Jane lay beside her husband, rubbing him softly on his back while he slept. The last eight hours had been hell. She had woken up the night before, only to find Kurt's side of the bed empty.

When she had finally found him, he had been huddled over the toilet retching his guts up.

"I'm ok… go back to bed." he had said, and Jane had shook her head, falling to her knees beside him.

She had stayed with him on the bathroom floor all night, taking turns between rubbing his back as he was violently ill, and wringing out the washcloth she had placed on the back of his neck.

He had protested, albeit weakly, stating he didn't want her to get sick. She had only shook her head, stating that their vows had said in sickness _and_ in health.

Four hours later, he had finally managed to keep ginger ale down, and Jane had convinced him to move to the bedroom where he would be more comfortable.

She had placed a bucket on the floor beside him, and put a fresh glass of water on his bedside table.

He had fallen asleep quickly, completely drained from his visit with the porcelain God.

* * *

Kurt woke some time later, groaning when he tried to roll over.

"How are you feeling?" Jane asked, placing the back of her hand on his forehead.

"Like I've been hit by a truck." he muttered into the pillow.

Jane smiled, rubbing his shoulder.

"Your fever has broken at least." she said.

"And I don't feel like I'm going to throw up any time soon." Kurt continued.

Jane leant forward, kissing him on the forehead.

"I'll get you some Gatorade." she said, making her way to the kitchen. She returned, helping him sit back against the pillows.

He took the drink off of her, taking a tentative sip. He breathed a sigh of relief, when it hit his stomach, then settled.

"Keep sipping at that." Jane said. "I'm gonna go make the couch up so we can watch something if you like?"

Kurt smiled. She knew he hated being in bed during the day, whether he was sick or not.

She moved back to the bedroom, helping him out of bed and onto the couch. He was weak, completely spent from the virus he was still trying to fight off. She got him comfortable, before returning to the bedroom to grab the gatorade and the bucket from the side of the bed.

It was Easter weekend, so they had the next three days off, and Jane was secretly relieved, knowing she would have hated to leave him like this.

* * *

They spent the majority of the next day, tangled together on the couch, secretly relishing in the fact that no one wanted to disturb them because they knew Kurt was sick.

Late in the afternoon, Jane was starting to feel a little unwell herself. She shrugged, turning back to the movie, thinking she was probably just worn out. This was the first time in a long time, they had actually spent a couple of days doing nothing. Her body was probably just unsettled because she had finally 'stopped.'

Another twenty minutes passed, and her stomach was growing notably more upset. She held her breath, trying to ignore the cramps that were starting to rip their way through her system.

"You ok?" Kurt asked, noticing her grimace of pain.

"I'm not sure." she replied, bringing her hand up to cover her stomach. She exhaled slowly, trying to quell the torment within.

She tensed, as she rode out another wave of pain, a low rumble settling deep in her belly.

"Oh, I think I'm about to be very unwell." she groaned scrambling to her feet, making a beeline for the bathroom.

Kurt let her go, wanting to give her a little privacy if her stomach revolted at the other end.

A short while later, Jane exited the bathroom, looking pale and miserable.

"You ok?" Kurt asked her again from the kitchen, knowing she probably felt as wretched as she looked.

She shook her head, a defeated smile playing on her lips.

"I think I've caught your bug." she groaned miserably, taking a seat at the breakfast bar.

"Oh Jane. I'm sorry." Kurt apologized offering her a glass of ginger ale.

"Don't be." she said smiling softly. "You told me to keep away and I didnt listen. I knew the risk." She accepted the ginger ale, taking a tentative sip. "Why do you only get the vomiting though?" she complained, trying to make the situation a little more lighthearted.

Kurt just smiled softly in sympathy, walking around the counter and cupping the side of her head in his hand.

"Guess my body is just stronger than yours." he said, trying to get a rise out of her.

It worked. She smacked him on the shoulder, before he grabbed her hands and held them to his chest.

"Now now." he stated.

Jane rolled her eyes, noticing how pale he had become again.

"Why don't you go and sit down?" she suggested. Stronger or not, he was still recovering himself.

Kurt nodded, swallowing thickly.

"Join me?"

Her stomach gurgled loudly. She winced, bringing her hand to clutch at her abdomen as another cramp hit. Kurt place his hand on her shoulder, hoping to give a little comfort as her insides rebelled against her.

She groaned in discomfort, before her eyes widened.

"I think that's me again." she muttered, heading back towards the bathroom.

Kurt sighed, staring after Jane. He knew how unwell he had been - and he had only been vomiting. He would take that any day if his wife didn't have to suffer the same fate.

The sound of retching filled the apartment. Frowning, Kurt made his way to the bathroom, knocking softly.

"Jane?" he asked tentatively.

"Don't come in." she muttered. Kurt sighed, knowing she had started going at both ends.

"Let me know if you need anything." he said through the door. Not expecting much of a reply, he made his way back to the couch, waiting for his wife to reemerge. He knew she wanted a little privacy, but he would be there if she needed him.

* * *

Kurt opened his eyes drowsily. He must have nodded off. He looked at his watch, noticing that a couple of hours had passed. Sitting up, he realised Jane was still missing.

"Damn." he muttered, getting to his feet and making his way to the bathroom.

"You ok in there?" he asked through the door.

When all he received in response was a weak groan, he opened the door slowly.

"Oh Jane." he sighed, moving into the bathroom. She was leant over the toilet, her head resting on her arm, eyes closed in exhaustion. She had stripped down to her singlet and had managed to throw her hair into a small bun.

He knelt beside her, rubbing between her shoulder blades gently.

"Come on sweetheart, let's get you off the floor."

Jane shook her head.

"Not ready." she grunted out, her arm wrapping around her belly protectively.

"Ok, ok." he said, turning to grab a washcloth from under the sink. He wet it with cool water and wrung it out, placing it on the back of her neck, just like she had done for him a couple of nights before.

She groaned into the toilet bowl as her stomach churned. Before she knew it, she was vomiting again, heaving up what little was left in her system. Kurt rubbed her back, wishing he could switch places with her.

She panted heavily when she had finally got herself back under control, whimpering at the pain in her abdomen.

"Here." he said softly, offering her a glass of water.

Jane took a sip, and then lay exhaustively against Kurt. He kissed her softly on her forehead, frowning slightly at the burning of her skin.

"Ready to go to bed now?" he asked, wanting her to be more comfortable. She nodded in response, not quite sure if she could trust her voice. He stood, bringing her up with him. She groaned, swaying against the dizziness that assaulted her at the change of equilibrium. "Easy." he murmured, steadying her against his chest.

He guided her to their bedroom, helping her under the covers. Moving to the living room, he grabbed the bucket she had set aside for him earlier, knowing he was no longer at risk of needing it. He also poured her a fresh glass of ginger ale - she needed to start rehydrating sooner rather than later.

When he returned to the bedroom, he sighed at what greeted him. She was curled on her side, her knees brought up to her chest, pain etched into the features of her face. He sat down beside her, rubbing her shoulder softly.

"Something's not right, Kurt." she whispered, hugging her arms to her stomach. "You didn't get cramps this bad."

Kurt frowned.

"Do you want me to call the doctor?" he asked. Jane wasn't usually one to complain about pain.

She shook her head.

"Not yet…" she ground out. "It's probably just a twenty-four hour bug like yours was. It's just hitting me harder is all."

"Alright." he said softly. "You tell me if it gets any worse though." he added, his concern growing by the moment.

Jane didn't reply. She just shifted, rubbing her stomach uncomfortably.

"Do you think you could try drink a little for me?" he asked, brushing the bangs off her burning forehead.

Jane swallowed thickly. The thought of ingesting anything making her feel nauseated. But she knew she needed to keep her fluid levels up, if she wanted to have any chance of getting over this.

She nodded softly, and Kurt helped her sit up. He winced with her, seeing the pain flash across her face from the change in position.

He grabbed the glass off the nightstand and passed it to her. She reached out with shaky hands, sipping slowly.

Not five minutes after she had managed to drain half of the glass, her eyes grew wide, before squeezing shut. She swallowed convulsively, exhaling slowly.

"You going to be sick again?" Kurt asked knowingly, already reaching for the bucket on the floor. When he didn't receive a response, he helped her sit, rubbing her back as she breathed heavily into the bucket, willing the nausea to just _stop_.

She lost the battle within seconds, bringing up the ginger ale she had just consumed. Kurt's heart broke, watching her crying out at the pain in her stomach. He was starting to agree that something was definitely wrong. He had been sick, but Jane was right in saying that he never experienced stomach pain as debilitating as she was.

When she was done, he helped her lay back against the pillows, too exhausted to do anything, but try and breathe through the pain. He took the bucket to the bathroom, washing it out, before returning to her. He placed the bucket back on the ground and put a cold washcloth on her forehead.

"You ok for a minute?" he asked.

Jane just nodded softly in reply, hugging her knees back to her chest.

Kurt left the bedroom, looking through his contact list and calling their family doctor.

He told him of Jane's symptoms, and the doctor agreed that they sounded more severe than just a normal stomach bug. He told Kurt he would be over within the next hour.

Kurt disconnected the call and made his way back to the bedroom, where his wife was lying in the exact position he had left her. He sat down beside her, turning the washcloth over so the cooler side was on her skin.

"I called the doctor." he confessed.

Jane frowned.

"Why? I thought we decided I had just got the worse end of your bug?"

Kurt shook his head.

"The doctor agrees that this is more than a typical stomach bug." he said, rubbing her arm softly. "The sickness aside, the pain you're experiencing isn't normal."

Jane frowned again, choosing not to answer. She was sick of doctors.

"Also I'm a little worried because you can't keep anything down." Kurt continued. "I would just feel a bit better if you were checked out."

Jane sighed, then winced, riding out another wave of pain.

"Oh Jane…" he sighed, hating to see her in this level of discomfort. "Do you want to try the wheatsack?"

She nodded and Kurt moved off to the kitchen, relieved that he was able to do _something_ to try and make her feel a bit better.

When the wheatsack was heated, he returned to the bedroom, lying down on the bed behind her. He wrapped her in his arms, holding the wheatsack to her stomach, rubbing her back gently with his free hand. She wrapped her arms around the wheatsack, hugging his hand to her middle.

Eventually, in the safety of her husband's arms, the exhaustion overcame the pain and Jane fell into a fitful sleep. Kurt lay with her, still rubbing her back softly, waiting for the doctor to arrive.


	2. Chapter 2

**Here's chapter 2. Hope you enjoy :)**

It was only half an hour later that Kurt heard a knock at their door. He extracted himself from Jane's grip, sneaking out of the room quietly. Looking through the peephole, he recognized the man on the other side of the door to be their family physician; Doctor John.

He opened the door, greeting the doctor.

"Thank you for coming at such short notice." Kurt said, shaking the doctor's hand.

"Not a problem." Doctor John replied. "From what you were saying on the phone, her pain is quite severe."

Kurt nodded.

"I had the same bug yesterday, and it was nothing compared to what she's going through."

The doctor nodded.

"Let's go and take a look at her."

"She's just in the bedroom. She fell asleep about half an hour ago." Kurt said, leading the doctor towards Jane.

The doctor waited in the doorway, while Kurt sat beside his wife, rubbing her shoulder gently.

"Jane." he said softly. "The doctor's here."

Jane's face contorted in pain as consciousness came back to her. She shifted uncomfortably, her arms drawing tightly around her stomach again.

She blinked up at Kurt, a look of resignation in her eyes. Kurt offered a small smile in return. He knew she didn't want to be examined by yet another doctor, but he was also not taking no for an answer. Something was clearly wrong with her, and he would be irresponsible not to get her checked.

"Hi Jane." the doctor greeted from the doorway. "Do you mind if I come in?"

Jane cast one last look at Kurt, before turning towards the doctor.

Not finding the strength within herself to talk, Jane merely nodded.

Kurt got off the bed and moved to the side, giving the doctor room to work.

Doctor John moved into the room, laying his briefcase on the floor beside the bed.

"Tell me what's been going on." he said softly, crouching down beside her. He could sense her growing discomfort at his presence and wanted to try and make her feel a little more comfortable. If that meant just talking for a start, then he would move slowly.

"I just have a stomach bug." Jane said flatly. "Kurt had it yesterday, and now I have it today." She was clearly agitated.

"Ok." the doctor said softly. "And what about this pain you've got in your tummy?"

Jane tried to suppress an eyeroll. _It's just a damn virus for God's sake!_ She glanced up at Kurt, her annoyance diminishing slightly at the concern on his face. She frowned and took a deep breath. They were just trying to help. The sooner she be polite and play ball, the sooner they would let her just go back to sleep.

She cleared her throat, knowing her voice would be husky from the intense vomiting.

"The cramps started with the vomiting." she said. "But they've grown progressively worse." she admitted.

"Any diarrhea?" the doctor asked.

She nodded her head in affirmation.

"Ok Jane. Do you mind if I have a look at you?" the doctor asked kindly.

"Ok." was all she could get out. She cast a pleading look at Kurt and he moved around the other side of the bed, taking her hand in his. It was possible she was suffering from a little PTSD due to her time in the hospital.

The doctor opened his briefcase, taking out a pulse oximeter and his thermometer. He checked all of Jane's vitals, writing them down on a small notepad, before returning the devices to the briefcase.

"Can you lie on your back for me?" the doctor asked. "I just want to have a look at your tummy."

Jane complied, but couldn't help the small cry of pain that escaped her lips at the change of position. Instinctively, she wanted to roll back on her side. She held her stomach, breathing heavily against the pain.

"Ok, ok." The doctor soothed. "I'll make it quick."

Kurt took her hand off of her abdomen, giving the doctor room to work. He held tightly, wanting to offer her strength.

The doctor pulled his stethoscope out of his briefcase, before gently lifting Jane's shirt. He listened to different parts of Jane's stomach, before removing the chestpiece. He frowned as he listened, and Kurt's concern only grew.

"I'm just going to have a bit of a feel now. You tell me if it gets too much." he said softly to Jane.

Jane grit her teeth as he began his examination.

He worked his way from the bottom of her belly, palpating as he went. As he moved up higher, Jane could no longer suppress her cry of pain. Tears leaked out of the corners of her eyes and she was in real danger of completely losing her resolve.

She was feeling overwhelmed, both by the pain and sickness and from having to be poked and prodded yet again.

The doctor rubbed her arm comfortingly, allowing her to roll back onto her side into a ball.

Kurt sat watching the ordeal, at risk of wanting to cry himself. He hated seeing her in this much pain, especially when there was nothing he could do to help.

"Now I'm fairly sure that you don't have a stomach bug." the doctor said. "Or if you do, the symptoms are underlying."

"What does that mean?" Kurt asked, crossing his arms.

"I think you might have pancreatitis." the doctor said. "I would like you to admit you into hospital, where they can run more tests."

Jane shook her head.

"Not happening." she ground out through a fresh wave of pain.

"Jane…" Kurt said.

"No hospitals." she breathed.

Kurt shot a desperate look at the doctor.

"Jane you're heart rate is elevated, as is your temperature." Doctor John started, crouching down on the floor, near her head. "You have swelling in the upper quadrant of your abdomen as well as guarding when I press down. That along with the severe pain, vomiting and diarrhea… you are almost textbook."

Jane frowned.

"Like I said… I'm not going."

"Jane… what you need to understand…" the doctor started, speaking softly, "If you do have pancreatitis… if left untreated, and unobserved, there is a great risk of you becoming very unwell."

"That's a risk I'm willing to take." she hissed.

Kurt got up off the bed, shaking his head.

"Can you give us a moment doc?" he asked, his voice emotional. The doctor nodded, moving out of the room. Kurt shut the door slowly behind him.

Jane was about to start protesting again, when Kurt turned around. His face was flushed, and Jane could see that he was holding back tears.

"Kurt?" she asked in a small voice.

"I can't lose you, Jane." he said, his voice breaking.

Jane sat up slowly, resting against the headboard.

"You're not going to." she replied matter of factly.

He shook his head again, closing his eyes.

"I know the last few months have been hard on you." he said, sitting on the bed beside her. "But I've nearly lost you twice." He hung his head. "I don't think I could do it a third time."

"Kurt…" she whispered taking his hand.

"Please just go to the hospital." he begged. "I'll be with you the whole time." He brought her hand up to his mouth, kissing the back of it softly. "I know you're scared… and I'm scared too… but-" his voice cracked. "I need you to be ok."

Jane looked down at the briefcase the doctor had left in the room. She could see the small notepad lying on top. _Temp 101.84, Pulse 108, Diminished bowel sounds, abdominal distention and guarding._

She hung her head.

"You're right." she whispered. "I am scared."

Kurt squeezed her hand.

"I'm scared that if I go in there… this time I won't come back out." She looked up at him, the worry she felt displayed on his face.

"There's a greater risk if you don't go baby." he said softly, cupping the side of her cheek.

She sighed in resignation.

"No ambulance." she said. "You drive me… and the moment they start talking about me going home… I'm leaving."

He nodded. He could work with that.

"I'll go and tell the doctor." he said, kissing her on the forehead. He stopped at the door, turning back to look at her. "You'll be ok, Jane." he promised, before opening the door and leaving

She forced out a weak smile, before screwing her face up, her stomach choosing that moment to spike her pain levels up again. She lay back in the fetal position, waiting for Kurt to return.

* * *

When they arrived at the hospital, Kurt helped Jane sit on one of the chairs, away from other patients who were waiting to be seen. She immediately curled into herself, clenching her teeth so she wouldn't cry out against the pain. He rubbed her shoulder gently, before taking her referral up to reception.

He returned a few minutes later, sitting down beside her and putting his arm around her shoulders. She instantly leaned into him, the pain beginning to overwhelm her.

"Sshh." he soothed, rubbing her back. "The receptionist said they shouldn't be too long."

Jane let out a small moan, both her hands in tight fists, her arms wrapped around her middle tightly.

About twenty minutes passed, before Jane started shifting uncomfortably.

"You ok?" Kurt asked.

"I might be sick." she warned, breathing heavily, her fingers pressed to her lips.

Kurt made his way back to reception, quickly returning with an emesis bag.

He gave her the bag and winced as she started retching.

Jane didn't even care that she was in public by that point. The pain in her abdomen and the nausea surging through her body the only things she could truly think about. She was absolutely miserable. She could feel Kurt's hand rubbing small circles on her back, and tried to focus on that as her body heaved nothing but bile and acid into the plastic bag.

A nurse came by with a wheelchair at that point.

"Jane Doe?" she asked, and Kurt nodded in confirmation. "Hi I'm Rosie, a bed has just freed up."

With Kurt's help, they got Jane situated into the chair. She was still hunched over the emesis bag, the pain and the nausea in a battle of the most prevalent. Eventually the pain won out, and Jane leaned to the side of the wheelchair, nearly collapsing in exhaustion.

"Jane!" Kurt exclaimed, catching her as she started tipping to one side.

Jane could only whimper in reply, the pain in her belly twisting like hot knives.

"Let's get you into a cubicle, my dear." the nurse said kindly. She wheeled Jane through the double doors, Kurt following close behind.

They helped Jane changed into a hospital gown and took down her height and weight, before settling her onto the bed. Jane curled back into the fetal position, the moment she was able to lay down. Rosie left the room to get some equipment to check Jane's vitals and Kurt busied himself tucking the blankets around her.

He took a seat beside her, hold her hand tightly.

Rosie returned minutes later. She lay an emesis bowl on the bed in front of Jane and got to work checking her vitals and starting an IV.

Jane's eyes stayed squeezed shut the entire time, her breaths coming out in short gasps.

"Please… is there anything you can give her for the pain?" Kurt asked Rosie, stroking the side of Jane's head.

Rosie shook her head

"Unfortunately I can't give her anything until the doctor has charted it…" she cast them a sympathetic look. "It shouldn't be too long now." She rubbed Jane on the shoulder, before exiting the cubicle, leaving them alone.

"Oh, my love." Kurt whispered, as Jane let out another cry of pain. Her face was screwed up and he could see she was about to lose the battle with her emotions. "Sssh…" he soothed, continuing to stroke her head. "You're ok…"

"It hurts." she cried softly, her face turning into the pillow as her body writhed in agony.

"I know it does baby." Kurt replied, his heart broken. "The doctor will be here soon."

They sat in silence for a moment, before Jane spoke up.

"Kurt… I'm sorry." she whispered.

"Sorry for what?" he asked, slightly confused.

"I'm sorry that you have to watch this." she replied in a small voice.

"Oh Jane…" he whispered.

"No… as you said… you've nearly lost me twice in the last couple of months… and now you have to watch me going through this… and I haven't exactly made the whole ordeal easy on you." she ground out, her voice laced with pain.

"Jane.." he said again. "I wouldn't be anywhere else."

"I know…" she replied softly. "But I'm still so sorry for all that you've been through."

He shook his head, both not wanting to think about what they had been through, and also not wanting her to bear that burden.

"None of this is your fault Jane." he said emphatically.

"Maybe not…" she said "But I still could have made things easier on you."

"Sshhh." he whispered. "None of that matters now… let's just get you better."

"Ok." she said in a small voice.

She groaned again, clutching tightly to his hand as a fresh wave of pain coursed through her.

"Sssh…" he murmured again, leaning forward, allowing her to curl her face into his chest. "I've got you…. Just breathe." He rubbed her back softly, trying to offer any form of comfort.

The doctor chose that moment to pull the curtains back, entering the cubicle. Kurt stood, moving around to her back, to give the doctor a little room.

"I'm Doctor Guthrie." he said, introducing himself. "I've just read over your referral from Doctor John. It says here he suspects you may have pancreatitis."

Jane only nodded in reply, suddenly unable to find her voice through her haze of pain.

The doctor stepped into the cubicle, taking a seat beside Jane.

"All of your stats are pointing towards this diagnoses. I'll have a look at you and then we will start running some tests to confirm."

"Ok." Jane managed to grind out.

"Roll onto your back for me." Doctor Guthrie said, raising her gown once she had managed to straighten out enough for him to work. He exposed her stomach, and Kurt winced at the swelling that was now notable.

Kurt moved to the head of the bed, holding Jane's hand tightly as the doctor pressed down softly.

Even though the doctors ministrations were gentle, Jane couldn't help the wail of torment that emerged between clenched teeth. Her face crumpled in pain, tears squeezing out of the corners of her eyes, trailing into her hairline.

Kurt stroked her hair off her forehead, trying to do _something_ to help her through the examination.

The doctor stopped palpating her stomach, putting his stethoscope in his ears and listening intently.

He finished the examination, lowering her gown and helping her roll back onto her side. Jane groaned, her pain and nausea at battle again. She curled around the emesis bowl, breathing heavily through her nose.

The doctor rubbed her shoulder in sympathy.

"I'll get you some painkillers." he said kindly, leaving the cubicle.

He arrived moments later, Jane still trying to convince her body not to throw up again.

Doctor Guthrie administered some pain relief and an antiemetic. Kurt rubbed her back softly, just wanting her to know he was there.

"So far I have to agree with your family physician. Everything is indicating pancreatitis." the doctor said, once Jane started to calm down a little. "I'll get Rosie to come and do some bloodwork and I'll order an ultrasound to confirm."

Jane didn't answer, too caught up in trying to control her breathing. The painkillers and anti nausea were starting to work, but she still didn't trust her body enough to move away from the bowl.

The doctor left the cubicle and Kurt moved forward again, wanting to be as close to her as possible.

Slowly Jane gained more confidence in herself, straightening away from the bowl. She stayed on her side, her knees drawn up to her chest in the only position that was giving her a little relief.

"You ok?" she asked Kurt, making him chuckle.

At her raised eyebrow, he explained; "You're the one in the hospital bed… and you're asking _me_ if _I'm _ok?"

Jane nodded.

Seeing she was serious, Kurt kissed her gently on the forehead.

"You truly are one in a million." At Jane's pointed look, he continued. "But yes. I'm ok." He stroked the side of her head, his face turning serious. "Seeing you like this is hard." he admitted. "But knowing you're in the right place makes it a little less daunting."

Jane shifted so she could look at him better.

"I'm sorry for being so difficult earlier." she whispered. Her voice was still pained, but with the painkillers, was at least a little stronger.

He shook his head.

"It's ok my love, I get it."

Her eyes were downcast, her chin wobbling. He could see how afraid she was and he hated it. With the dulling of the pain, her anxiety seemed to be leaking through the cracks.

"Hey." he said softly. "You're ok."

She took a shaky breath.

"I know… it's just that being here… it reminds me of…"

"I know baby." he soothed.

"I had accepted death Kurt." she said in a small voice. "And then I was cured and I thought everything would be ok… but being here… I'm feeling all of those emotions all over again… the fear… the acceptance… it's so dark." Her lips quivered, and Kurt could see she was trying not to cry.

"Hey… it's ok sweetheart." he kissed the back of her hand. "This is different. This isn't ZIP."

"I know… it's just hard being here again."

Kurt nodded.

"And this time I can see the worry in your eye." she said, reaching up and touching his face. "I don't know if that makes it easier or harder to deal with."

"Either way, I'm right here." he said, holding her hand to his chest. "Everything is going to be ok." he promised.

She exhaled slowly.

"I'm so lucky to have you." she said, offering him a small smile.

He kissed the back of her hand again.

"Yeah you are." he quipped, earning himself a larger smile. "Rest my love." he said kissing her forehead. "The nurse will be here soon."

Jane complied, closing her eyes. The pain was still severe, but the painkillers had managed to dull it down to a slightly more manageable level - that and the anti nausea seemed to be working. She dozed, knowing there would be a whirlwind of tests waiting for her when she woke, but content in knowing that, once again, Kurt would be by her side.


	3. Chapter 3

**Hope you enjoy the next chapter.**

**Please be aware I am not a doctor, and there is only so much information you can get off the internet, so if there is any inconsistencies, then they are all mine!**

**lurkingwhump, as always, thank you for your help!**

Rosie came back about twenty minutes later, carrying a kidney dish full of vials and an IV bag full of saline.

Kurt rubbed Jane's shoulder, sad that he had to wake her so soon. She opened her eyes tiredly, swallowing thickly.

"Just going to take a bit of blood." Rosie explained to Jane. "You've also been put on nil by mouth so I'm going to set up some saline to start rehydrating you."

Jane nodded in understanding, too exhausted to speak. With the painkillers dulling the pain somewhat, her fatigue was setting in fast.

Rosie helped her roll onto her back so she had better access to her arm. She took her blood and hung the saline bag above her head, connecting it to her IV. She moved out of the cubicle, returning moments later with a cool washcloth, placing it on Jane's forehead.

Jane sighed, the cold cloth pleasant on her burning skin.

"Can I get you anything else?" Rosie asked.

Jane shook her head softly.

"The doctor said he was going to chart you some more painkillers and antiemetics." Rosie said. "I'll be back soon."

"Thank you." Jane said exhaustively.

The nurse left the cubicle, leaving Jane and Kurt alone again.

"You ok?" Kurt asked.

Jane rolled back onto her side, holding her bloated belly uncomfortably. She blew out a lungful of air.

"I'm ok. The pain's not as bad."

"But still not good." Kurt said knowingly.

She shook her head.

"I just want all of this to be over so we can go home." she said in a small voice.

Kurt held her hand, giving a tight squeeze in reassurance.

"I know baby." he said sympathetically. "Let's just get you well first."

Jane nodded softly, her eyes falling closed again.

"Sleep." he murmured, turning the washcloth on her forehead over. He leant forward, kissing the corner of her eye.

She smiled softly. Even though she was feeling dreadful, he always knew how to make these types of situations better.

Kurt watched her fall into unconsciousness and sighed at the pain that was still evident on her face.

They still had tomorrow off for the long weekend, but he thought he had better let the team know what was going on.

Confident that Jane wasn't going to wake up anytime soon, he stepped out of the cubicle, calling Reade.

"Hey man, how you doing?" Reade asked answering the phone.

"I'm alright." Kurt replied.

"Really?" Reade asked. "Tasha said you were sick… and you still sound kind of…"

"Jane's in the hospital." Kurt explained, cutting him off.

"What? What happened?" Reade asked. His voice now had a slight echo to it and Kurt knew he had been put on speaker so Tasha could listen.

"We thought she had just caught my bug." Kurt said, pinching his thumb and forefinger to the bridge of his nose. "They think she has pancreatitis."

"Ouch." Tasha said, joining the conversation. "How bad is it?"

"We don't know yet." he admitted. "They've just started running tests… but judging by the pain she's in.. it's pretty bad."

There was a moment of silence on the other end of the phone.

"What do you guys need?" Reade asked finally. He knew this would be killing his friends, that yet again Jane was sick enough to warrant being in hospital. At least this time imminent death wasn't hanging over their heads.

"I don't know when I'll be back at work… I promised her I wouldn't leave her." Kurt admitted.

"Take all the time you need." Reade said without hesitation.

"Thank you." Kurt said gratefully.

"Kurt?" Tasha asked.

"Yeah?"

"Just make sure you're looking after you." Was all she said.

Kurt sniffed, his emotions threatening to overwhelm him. He swallowed and took a deep breath.

"Thanks Tasha." he got out.

"Keep us updated." Reade said and Kurt disconnected the call.

He sat down in a chair off to the side of the ER, rubbing his hand over his face, trying to get in control of himself. He was physically and emotionally spent. After everything they had already been through, he couldn't believe they were here again. No wonder Jane had been so adamant about staying home.

It was causing him enough stress, he couldn't imagine what it was doing to her.

He looked up, watching the hustle and bustle of hospital life. The ER was busy today, though there didn't seem to be any life threatening emergencies.

He looked over at the cubicle that contained his wife. The curtains were ajar, so he could just make her out through a small gap. She was pale, her face pinched in pain, and even in sleep she was clutching her stomach.

He sighed, the images of her nearly dying playing across his mind. He could see her, struggling to move - struggling to breathe as the ZIP sucked away her remaining life. They had gotten the cure to her without a moment to spare - the doctors had been talking about intubating her. How they had managed to get out of that one… he still wasn't sure.

He could see her, lying in that wooden box, pale, lifeless, cold, dead. Her heart had stopped. Thankfully she had come back after only a couple of rounds of CPR. But that had been too close for his liking. She had been cleared by medical fairly quickly - instructed to stay warm and to follow up with her doctor should she experience any untoward symptoms.

He had nearly lost her twice. In less than a couple of months. And now she was back in hospital. In pain. Unwell. While death may not necessarily be imminent, he knew that pancreatitis was no walk in the park.

What was he going to do with her?

He managed a weak chuckle, before it caught in his throat. Suddenly his mouth was dry and the small distance between them, was way too much for him to bear.

He got up, crossing the room back to her at a near run. Once he was back by her side, her hand clasped in his own, did he feel like he was able to breathe again.

"Kurt?" she asked in a small voice, stirring slightly.

"Yeah I'm here." he replied, kissing the back of her hand softly.

"What's wrong?" she asked, opening her eyes and seeing the distraught look on his face.

He shook his head.

"Nothing. I'm ok." he said forcing a small smile.

Jane frowned.

"Kurt." she said emphatically. "Please don't lie to me."

He looked down at their hands, unable to meet her eye. He swallowed thickly, trying to get his emotions in check.

"Kurt… please look at me." she pleaded softly, reaching up to touch his face.

"I'm sorry." was all he said, still avoiding her gaze.

"Sorry for what?" she pressed.

"I'm sorry that you're here again… that I can't make it better." He shook his head, a single tear rolled down his face.

Jane pulled herself up into a sitting position, stifling a wince.

"Come here." she whispered, moving so there was space on the bed for him. He moved onto the bed, allowing his wife to wrap him in her arms. He felt guilty that she was the one who was sick, and yet she was the one comforting him, but he couldn't help the vulnerability that was determined to drown him.

She knew that he was struggling. She had seen it in his face when he had been trying to convince her to go to the hospital.

She kissed his temple, feeling him shuddering in her arms.

"I'm sorry." he choked out.

"Sshh, it's ok." she soothed. "I know this is as hard for you as it is for me."

He sniffed, placing his hand over her heart.

"I guess it all just got a bit too much." he whispered against her chest.

"I know, my love." she said. "And again, I'm sorry that you have to watch this. I know how much it hurts you seeing me in pain."

He took a deep breath.

"Yeah." he admitted. "I just wish I could take it all away."

She didn't reply, opting to just hold him.

A few minutes passed and Kurt shifted, deciding he needed to hold her in his arms. She complied, shuffling down the bed so her back was against his chest. Once they were comfortable, Kurt placed his hand on her aching stomach, rubbing gently. She relaxed into his touch. While the rubbing itself wasn't really helping the pain, it was helping soothe her frailed nerves.

* * *

He must have nodded off. When he came to, Jane was shifting uncomfortably in his arms.

"You ok?" he asked, looking down at her in concern.

"I think the painkillers are wearing off." she groaned, curling in on herself.

Kurt reached over and grabbed the buzzer, alerting Rosie to Jane's unease, before turning back to her, hugging her from behind.

"I've got you." he murmured in her ear, placing his hand back on her stomach. She replied by hugging his hand to her middle, trying her best not to cry out against the spiking pain. Kurt rubbed her back gently, his heart breaking all over again.

Rosie arrived only a few minutes later, frowning at the scene that greeted her.

"Not doing so good huh?" she asked, stepping into the cubicle and placing her hand on Jane's shoulder.

Jane shook her head, the pain crippling her to the point she couldn't speak.

"I'll go and hurry the doctor along for these pain meds." Rosie said, giving her shoulder a sympathetic squeeze before leaving again.

Jane couldn't help but whimper into the pillow.

"Oh, my love." Kurt whispered in her ear. He was at a loss on what to do. Feeling helpless, he opted to hold her, hoping he could provide a little comfort, just by being close to her.

It took another fifteen minutes of Jane writhing in pain, before Rosie finally returned with the pain relief.

Jane tried to let her body relax as the medication was plunged into her IV. It wasn't until the pain killers actually started working, that her body calmed down enough for her to breathe properly.

* * *

The doctor came back about an hour later, carrying Jane's chart under his arm.

"How are we doing in here?" he asked.

Kurt had taken the seat next to Jane's bed again, holding her hand as she lay on her side, trying her best to keep both her body and mind under control.

"I've been better." she replied hoarsely.

The doctor nodded.

"We've got your bloods back. The levels confirm you have pancreatitis." the doctor said, opening her chart.

"So what happens now?" Kurt asked, stroking the side of Jane's head.

"I'm going to book you in for an ultrasound to find out what we are dealing with." the doctor replied. "Until then, I'll set you up with some longer wearing painkillers and anti nausea medication… hopefully that will make you more comfortable."

Jane nodded. "How long will I have to stay here?" she asked, staring down at a spot on the bed.

"Until we know the extent of your pancreatitis, I'm afraid I can't give you much information… but usually all going well, patients will be in hospital about a week."

Jane felt her heart sink. _A week. _How was she supposed to survive here for another week?

She felt Kurt squeeze her hand, and took a deep breath. She had to remain strong for both of their sakes. Losing it now would only cause both of them more stress.

The doctor, noticing her unease, offered her a small smile.

"Not to worry, we will get you fixed up and on your way as soon as possible."

"Thank you doctor." Kurt said, standing up and shaking his hand.

"An orderly will be along soon to take you up to radiology. I'll come back and see you once we have the results from the ultrasound." the doctor said. He gave them another reassuring look, before stepping out of the cubicle.

Kurt turned back to his wife and took her hand again.

"It will be ok." he promised.

She closed her eyes, taking a calming breath.

"I know." she said finally, shifting to try and make herself more comfortable. "I just wasn't expecting to have to stay here that long."

Kurt sighed, both in sadness for his wife and in relief. He was secretly pleased that he wasn't going to have to fight her on staying. Clearly she had come to the realization that she was actually quite sick, and needed to be here in order to get better. That and his breakdown earlier - he knew she was probably just trying to protect him from further stress.

"I'll be here every step of the way." he replied after a moment.

She squeezed his hand.

"Thank you." she whispered.

"Always." he replied, offering her a small smile.

She blew out a lungful of air, rubbing her distended stomach softly. The medication was helping to take the edge off, but the pain and nausea in her belly was still distressing.

"Let's just hope this is the last thing that happens for a while." she murmured.

"I couldn't agree more." Kurt replied, leaning forward and kissing her temple.

He could see the desperation in her eyes and reached out to stroke her hair off her face.

"You're going to be ok my love." he promised, though Jane wasn't one hundred percent sure who he was trying to convince.


	4. Chapter 4

**Well I've managed to get an update out for you guys. Sorry about the wait and I really do apologize if this doesn't make any sense. All errors are my own and I hope you can overlook them as my brain is mush!**

**Thank you to all the wellwishers and to my dear lurkingwhump. The last few weeks have been awful.. though there is an end in sight!**

**I hope you enjoy this chapter, even though it is incredibly rough! **

An orderly had come to collect Jane to take her to get her ultrasound. Kurt had had to stay behind in the ER cubicle waiting for her. He hated the separation as much as she did. As promised, he hadn't left her side once since she had been admitted, but he could admit that it was as much for his benefit as it was hers.

She had managed to have a nap after her last round of pain medication, but Kurt could tell she was still on edge and in pain, even in sleep.

The double doors opened and Kurt looked up to see the orderly pushing Jane back into the ER. She was being returned to him a little worse for wear, one arm wrapped tightly around her belly, and the other holding onto an emesis bowl for dear life.

She looked up at him with pained, sad eyes and he moved forward to help her back into bed. He guided her the three steps into her cubicle, a little worried at how weak she had become.

She lay back down with a whimper and a grunt, before squeezing her eyes shut and breathing heavily through the pain and nausea.

"Didn't go so well, huh?" Kurt asked quietly.

Jane shook her head, groaning slightly as a fresh wave of sickness assaulted her. She reached out for the bowl, pulling it towards her in case of an emergency.

Kurt rubbed her back gently, willing the pain and nausea away.

"It was the ultrasound probe." Jane ground out, not moving from her huddled position on the bed.

Kurt nodded in understanding. He moved across to the sink and wet a washcloth, placing it on the back of her neck.

"Did they say what was going on?" he asked, once he was settled back in the chair.

Jane shook her head again.

"No, just that a doctor would be along shortly to discuss the results."

Kurt nodded in reply, stroking her hair off her forehead.

Jane whimpered again, breathing through her nose to try and quell her nausea. She had been sick again while the technician had been performing the ultrasound, the pressure of the probe proving to be too much. That had been mostly painful dry heaves, and she really didn't want to go through that again. She squeezed her eyes shut, trying to force the world out for just a moment.

All she wanted was one small moment of reprieve, just enough to get her strength back so she could keep fighting.

* * *

It didn't take long for the doctor to return with her ultrasound results. He walked into the cubicle, to find Jane hunched on her side in the fetal position, clearly in a lot of pain and discomfort.

"Not doing so good, hmm?" the doctor asked sympathetically, moving closer towards Jane's bed.

Jane didn't even open her eyes to answer, she just shook her head, riding out whatever her body was throwing at her. She wasn't due painkillers or antiemetics for another hour.

"I have your test results here." The doctor said, opening her chart. "It looks like you've had a gallbladder stone attack, that has since blocked the ducts in your pancreas."

Jane's eyes opened at that.

"That doesn't sound good." she whispered, eyeing Kurt.

"So what happens from here?" Kurt asked, taking Jane's hand and squeezing tightly.

"You will need surgery to remove the stone." the doctor said. "I've spoken to the surgical team and they have decided the best course of action would be to remove your gallbladder while they're in there, to prevent future attacks."

"Ok… W-what?" Jane stammered. "How is that going to affect me?" she asked, fear evident on her face. She had barely made it through the ZIP poisoning with no lasting effects, so naturally, she was worried that this was going to change her future.

The doctor smiled softly.

"You will be ok." he reassured. "Once you've recovered from your surgery, you will be able to continue with your normal lifestyle."

Jane blew out a lungful of air in relief.

"I'm going to organize getting you transferred up to surgical." the doctor said. "If you have any more questions, they will be able to answer them before you go into theatre."

Jane nodded, another wave of sickness washing over her, though she wasn't overly sure if it was from the illness or her nerves at this point.

The doctor left the cubicle, closing the curtains behind him.

She closed her eyes again, breathing heavily through her nose. She felt Kurt's hand on her shoulder, and was comforted by the fact that he was still there.

"Some stomach bug huh?" he chuckled, though there was no humor in his voice.

Jane smiled weakly, too overcome with her nausea to trust opening her mouth to reply.

"At least there will be no lasting effects." Kurt said, kissing the back of her hand. "They're gonna get you fixed up, and then I can take you home, where I can keep an eye on you for a while."

That one caused Jane to smile properly. What she wouldn't give to be in her own bed, wrapped up in the safety of her husband's arms.

* * *

Jane was transferred up to surgical fairly quickly. The doctors were worried at her level of pain and she had been bumped up the surgical list for that day. She would be going into surgery later that evening.

She was incredibly nervous, but also relieved that she was going in so soon. It would have been hell if she had had to have waited until the next day. She was glad that it was going to be over and done with, both because of her anxiety, but also because she just needed a little relief.

She had been transferred into a single room - which she was quite thankful for. She was starting to get a little embarrassed about vomiting in front of people.

She was due her pain medication any moment, and she couldn't help but moan against the torment in her belly.

Kurt had made himself comfortable in the armchair beside her bed, wanting to be as close to her as possible, but also knowing she was in too much discomfort to get on the bed with her at that point.

Her stomach chose that moment to cramp painfully, before lurching forcefully. She whimpered as she retched over the emesis bowl, bile and acid spilling out of her in burning heaves.

Kurt moved, sitting beside her on the bed. His hand found the spot between her shoulder blades, rubbing circles to try and alleviate some of the sickness that was coming off her in waves.

Jane cried out, clutching her stomach with one hand, the other holding the basin so tight her knuckles has started to turn white.

Kurt frowned at the distress on his wife's face. Deciding enough was enough, he reached over for her call buzzer, pressing it once, before turning back to Jane, whispering soft nothings in her ear to try and calm her down a little.

A young nurse entered the room, taking in the scene in front of her. She opened Jane's chart, before looking at her wrist watch.

"I'll go and get you some more medication." she said sympathetically, rubbing Jane on the shoulder.

"Thank you." Kurt said, and the nurse nodded before leaving the room.

Jane was down to dry heaves, tears leaking down her face as her body tortured her within.

"Kurt." she whimpered between spasms, reaching for his hand.

"Sshh." he whispered, at a loss on how to help her. He continued to rub soothing circles on her back with one hand, his other squeezing hers in return.

The nurse returned and medication was administered, but Jane continued to writhe in pain. The antiemetic seemed to be working, as Jane had stopped vomiting, but the pain didn't seem to be lessening at all.

"I'm going to page the doctor." the nurse said, worried that the pain medication wasn't having any effect.

She left the room and Kurt turned back to his wife. Jane had stopped moving, breathing heavily through her clenched jaw. She was lying rigidly in the fetal position, her eyes squeezed shut, her face pinched in pain. Tears had managed to leak out of the corner of her eyes, trailing down into her hairline.

Kurt knew she was trying to her best to regain control of her body, but could see she was failing miserably.

"Oh baby." he whispered, wiping the tears from her face. He didn't expect an answer, and he didn't receive one. He kept vigil by her side, squeezing her hand to try and offer some comfort, or to at least remind her that he was there.

The doctor arrived some fifteen minutes later, to find Jane in the same position, still silent and still rigidly trying to breathe through the pain.

"I'm Doctor Southon." he said introducing himself. "I'll be performing your surgery this evening."

Jane didn't answer, so Kurt stood and shook his hand.

"I understand that your pain is no longer lessening with your pain medication."

Jane managed to shake her head, before groaning. Any movement she made sent tendrils of white hot pain snaking through her abdomen.

"Do you mind if I examine you?" he asked moving closer to the bed.

Jane cringed internally. The pain was already severe enough without him poking and prodding her. But she knew it was necessary. She nodded her confirmation, and Kurt helped her raise her gown so the doctor had access to her stomach.

"Do you need her on her back?" Kurt asked.

"No she's ok on her side." Doctor Southon replied, sanitizing his hands.

He gently palpated Jane's upper abdomen, noting the swelling was a lot worse than what had been described in her notes. Jane cried out in pain at the contact, screwing up her face, before returning to panting through her locked jaw.

The doctor put his stethoscope in his ears, listening to her belly. He frown, before removing the chest piece.

"I'm not overly happy with what I'm seeing." The doctor admitted. "Your swelling is worse and you have little to no bowel sounds." He made a note on her chart. "I'm going to bump you up the list." He decided. "I'll get someone along to prep you shortly. You'll be on the table within the hour."

Jane managed to nod in acknowledgment, her anxiety having left as she just wanted respite from her pain. She actually felt relieved that she would be going up sooner rather than later.

"Do you have any questions?" Doctor Southon asked, and again was met with silence from Jane.

He looked at Kurt questioningly.

Kurt shook his head, knowing that anything he wasn't sure about would be answered when she woke up.

He shook Kurt's hand again, before leaving the room.

Things moved fairly quickly after that. A nurse came in to prep her for surgery, and within fifteen minutes after, an orderly came in to take her up to surgical.

Kurt leant over, kissing his wife on the forehead.

"I'll be waiting here for you when you wake up." he murmured.

Jane managed to open her eyes and give him a small reassuring smile.

"I love you." she whispered in a pained voice.

"I love you too." he said, squeezing her hand. He watched as she was wheeled away from him, his heart leaving the room with her. He very nearly lost his resolve once she was out of sight, but took a deep breath, schooling his features.

She needed him to be strong. The next few hours were going to be torture, but he needed to keep his emotions impassive so he could be there for her when she woke up.

He sighed, taking a seat, staring at her empty bed.

Everything would be ok. It had to be.


	5. Chapter 5

**Well here it is. The final chapter to this wee fic. Thank you all for your patience with this. I'm so glad I managed to get this finished. **

**Special thanks to lurkingwhump for your encouragement and friendship these last few months.**

**I hope you enjoy. All mistakes belong to my 7 week old baby. He has eaten my brain lol**

It had already been a couple of hours since Jane had been taken to surgery and Kurt couldn't stop looking at his watch. He had been ushered into the public lounge to wait, and he was finding himself slowly losing his reserve.

It could be any minute that someone would come and update him, and he couldn't help glancing towards the door. He frowned, tapping his finger on his knee.

He sighed.

No news was good news.

Right?

* * *

An hour later, Kurt looked up to see Doctor Southon standing in the doorway. Kurt jumped to his feet, approaching the doctor.

"How is she?" he almost shouted.

"She's in recovery." the doctor replied, gesturing for Kurt to sit back down. The doctor sat beside him. "The surgery went well. We were able to clear the blocked duct, as well as remove her gallbladder without any complications."

Kurt hung his head in relief.

"Thank God." he murmured. "When can I see her?"

"She has had a bit of trouble coming out of the anesthetic, so we have kept her in recovery a little longer than expected." Doctor Southon replied.

"What do you mean trouble?" Kurt asked, panic starting to set in a little. If he was being rational, he would have been able to see that the doctor didn't seem overly concerned, so he shouldn't worry, but the rational part of his brain seemed to have shut off since she had been admitted.

"She has just had a bit more trouble staying conscious than we would like, but-" the doctor said, raising a hand when he saw Kurt was about to interrupt. "- I believe that is to be expected. Her body has been under an incredible amount of stress from this illness. She is exhausted."

Kurt nodded at that. That made sense.

"We are just keeping her in recovery a bit longer so we can monitor her a bit more closely. We've had to give her oxygen as her sp02 kept dropping. Again that is fairly normal. Could be the medication, could be the exhaustion. For now we are just keeping an eye on her."

Kurt nodded again.

"Thank you doc." he said, shaking his hand.

Doctor Southon smiled.

"Someone will notify you when she's back in her room." he said, before leaving Kurt alone again.

Kurt hung his head. He had hoped that after the doctor came to update him, he would be able to go and see his wife. His patience was starting to wear thin.

Over the next hour or so, Kurt filled his time updating the team on Jane's condition. They were all being incredibly supportive, each offering to come and sit with him until he was allowed to see her.

He almost said yes, but selfishly decided against it. When she did wake, he wanted her all to himself.

Finally, just as Kurt was about to lose his cool completely, a nurse came by, telling him Jane was back in her room. He had to take a deep breath and compose himself, otherwise he would have sprinted down the corridor.

He got to Jane's room and paused, looking at her from the doorway. She looked small in the bed, especially since they had bundled her up in layers of warmed blankets. The oxygen cannula was still in her nose and her face was incredibly pale. All in all she looked pretty rough, but for the first time in a couple of days, her face wasn't pinched in pain.

She opened her eyes groggily, catching Kurt's eye.

"Hey." she whispered softly.

"Hey yourself." he replied, offering her a small smile. He strode towards her, leaning over to softly give her a kiss on the temple. "How are you feeling?" he asked, taking a seat beside her bed and taking her hand in his own.

"I'm ok." she breathed. "Tired." She sighed, closing her eyes again.

Kurt reached out, brushing her hair off her forehead.

"Sleep." he whispered gently. "You'll feel better when you wake."

Jane complied, nodding off almost instantly. Kurt smiled softly, kissing the back of her hand.

"Thank you for being ok." he whispered, before settling back into the chair to keep vigil over his sleeping wife.

* * *

Jane's health progressed well from there. Apart from some initial nausea, she was right on track with her recovery. Her post op pain was quite bad, but as she had explained to Kurt, it was nothing compared to the Pancreatitis itself. She was due to be released from the hospital that day, and she couldn't wait. She was starting to feel claustrophobic within the hospital walls.

Kurt had already helped her into a pair of comfortable sweats and one of his hoodies, and she was sitting on her bed, waiting for her discharge papers.

She huffed, when yet another nurse walked past her room.

Kurt chuckled at her impatience.

She frowned at him. "What?"

"Nothing." he said grinning. At her annoyed look he continued. "I'm just so happy to have my impatient, stubborn wife back."

Jane rolled her eyes.

"How long does it take to bring me back some paperwork?" she grumbled.

He didn't answer, opting to just reach out and kiss the back of her hand.

The nurse chose that moment to enter the room, pushing a wheelchair up to Jane's bed.

Jane sighed. Darn hospital policy. Not that she would have been able to walk that far anyway. She allowed Kurt to help her off the bed, into the waiting chair. She screwed up her face, clutching at her belly as the movement pulled her stitches.

"You ok?" Kurt asked, concern evident in his voice.

Jane nodded, breathing through her nose.

The nurse handed over the folder containing her paperwork to Jane.

"Your script for antibiotics and painkillers is in there as well." the nurse explained. "They've also given you a script for anti nausea pills should you need them."

Jane nodded her thanks.

"Any problems, come straight back."

"Don't you worry about that." Kurt replied, giving Jane a pointed look. She replied by rolling her eyes at him again.

"Take care." the nurse said, giving them a genuine smile.

"Thank you." Jane said, her voice already husky from the exhaustion of getting dressed. She would be lying if she said she wasn't ready to crawl into her own bed and sleep for a week.

"Ready?" Kurt asked, grabbing her bag.

"Ready." Jane replied. Kurt moved behind her, pushing her towards their freedom.

* * *

Jane fell asleep on the way home. Kurt sighed, not wanting to wake her, but also wanting to get her to bed where he knew she would rest more soundly. He reached over and stroked her cheek gently.

She stirred, her eyes fluttering open.

"Sorry baby." he said softly. "We're home."

She gave him a small relieved smile.

"Home." she repeated, savoring the feeling.

"Let's get you upstairs." Kurt suggested, turning the ignition off. He got out of the car, walking round to help her. She winced at the movement, getting out of the car slowly, before leaning heavily on him.

By the time they reached their apartment, she was exhausted, a light sweat forming on her brow.

Kurt directed her to the couch, helping her sit back into the pillows. He grabbed the throw off the back of the couch, draping it over her.

"You hungry?" he asked, moving towards the kitchen.

Jane shook her head softly. Her appetite hadn't come back yet. They had her on a light liquid diet for the time being. She was allowed to move onto bland food later in the week.

"Ok." Kurt replied softly. He knew not to push her with her eating. The last time had resulted in her vomiting up everything she had managed to consume. "I'm gonna go grab the bags and your shower chair." He said grabbing his keys. "You need anything?"

Jane smiled softly and shook her head.

"Kurt you'll be gone less than five minutes. I'll be ok."

Kurt opened his mouth to say something, before thinking better of it and walking out of the apartment.

Jane stared after him, still smiling.

As promised he had barely left her side while she was in the hospital. He had been so worried about her, Jane had had to call Reade to force Kurt to go home and at least have a shower and a decent meal.

She would be lying if she said she wasn't completely and utterly thankful that he had stayed with her. She had been so scared being trapped in the hospital again. The four walls seemed to close around her when Kurt wasn't there.

Her postoperative pain had been intense, even with high doses of painkillers. Kurt had stayed beside her all night, holding her hand and whispering soothing words of comfort in her ear.

She relaxed back into the pillows, closing her eyes and thinking about how lucky she was to have him.

* * *

Kurt arrived back in the apartment to find Jane dozing. He put the bags in the bedroom and put the stool in the shower.

He moved back into the living room, kissing her softly on the forehead.

She opened her eyes slowly, sighing in content.

"You feel like a shower?" he asked, sitting on the coffee table beside her. He watched her eyes light up at the idea, making him chuckle softly. "Why don't I go and turn it on for you?"

She smiled.

"Thank you." she said gratefully.

Kurt made his way into the bathroom, turning on the shower and finding her a clean towel. When the water was hot, he moved back into the lounge to help her to the bathroom, sitting her on the closed toilet lid.

"You need any help?" he asked, checking the temperature of the shower.

She shook her head.

"I'll be ok."

"Ok." he replied kissing her on the forehead. "Call out if you need me."

"I will." she replied softly. Truth be told, as grateful as she was that Kurt hadn't left her side, she was looking forward to having a moment alone. Even if that was just to have a shower. She slowly needed to be able to gain her independence back.

She took a breath, preparing herself for the onslaught of pain that came with removing her shirt. Luckily Kurt's hoodies were too big for her, so it was easy enough to slip her left arm out and pull it over her head without having to raise her right arm.

Once undressed, she got up weakly from the toilet and made her way to the shower, sinking onto the stool slowly. She groaned in relief as the hot water started soaking into her tired muscles. She sat there under the spray for a few minutes, before busying herself washing away the smell of hospital and sickness from her body.

Once thoroughly cleaned, she turned the shower off and went to stand, when a wave of dizziness assaulted her. She sat back down, feeling nauseous and woozy.

"Kurt?" she called weakly.

He was there in a moment, almost as if he was standing outside the bathroom door, waiting incase she needed him.

"What happened? Are you ok?" he asked, taking in her pale complexion.

"I'm ok. Just dizzy." she replied, squeezing her eyes shut. "I think I may have had the water a little too hot."

"Ok, let's just take it slow." he suggested, holding his hand out. She accepted his hand and slowly stood back up, leaning against him as she swayed. "Come on, let's get you dressed and into bed."

She nodded in agreement, sitting back on the toilet lid as he grabbed her towel.

Once she was dried and redressed in a light shirt and sleeping shorts, she allowed Kurt to help her down the hallway to their bedroom.

She almost cried in relief as she sunk down into her own pillow. She had missed the comfort of her own bed so much. She felt her eyes grow heavy and closed them, nuzzling down into the comforter.

She heard Kurt move away, only to return moments later.

"Better take your painkillers before you sleep."

Jane almost groaned in annoyance. She had just managed to get comfortable and now she had to move. But she knew if she didn't take her medication now, she would pay for it later.

She sat up gingerly, before taking the glass of water Kurt was offering, and her pills. She handed the water back to Kurt and slowly lay back down.

"Get some rest baby." Kurt whispered gently, kissing her softly on the temple.

"Stay." she mumbled, sleep nearly upon her.

Kurt complied, moving to his side of the bed and laying down on top of the comforter. He moved in behind her wrapping her securely in his arms and started stroking the side of her head. He listened to her breathing even out before he relaxed into his own pillow beside her, still hugging her from behind.

For the first time in over a week he felt like he could breathe again. She had made it through yet another life threatening ordeal. She had a long road to complete recovery, but as usual he would be there every step of the way.

Kurt let his own body settle, slowly drifting off with her safely in his arms. Finally they were both able to get some much needed, and much deserved rest.

**I hope you enjoyed. Please let me know what you thought :)**


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